Section 8183.

No anchovies may be taken for any purpose in Humboldt Bay, except under the following conditions:

(a) Anchovies may be taken for live bait between May 1 and December 1 and may be taken for dead bait between May 1 and August 31. The operator of a vessel may take anchovies only for use in his or her own fishing operation, except that the operator may make incidental sales of anchovies so taken to local sport fishermen for their use as bait.

This subdivision does not prevent the cooperative effort of two or more vessel operators or their crews working together with one net if each operator has complied with the notification requirement in subdivision (b).

(b) An observer who is an employee of the department shall inspect any bait operation and may halt that operation if the operation cannot be conducted without adversely affecting the game species of the bay. Notification of all bait operations shall be dispatched so as to be received by the department at least 12 hours prior to the commencement of the operation.

(c) Anchovies may be taken in Districts 8 and 9 only north of a line extending through channel markers 8 and 9 in Humboldt Bay.

(d) Not more than 15 tons of anchovies may be taken between May 1 and August 31 of each year and not more than 15 tons may be taken between September 1 and December 1 of each year.

(e) Only bait nets, as defined in Section 8780, shall be used to take anchovy.

(f) Any game fish caught incidentally in bait nets shall be released by use of a hand scoop net or by dipping the cork line.

An accurate record of all fishing operations shall be kept and is subject to inspection by the department.

The commission shall adopt any other regulation it determines is necessary to protect the Humboldt Bay anchovy resource.

(Amended by Stats. 1997, Ch. 186, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1998.)